Beautiful Spirit
by silent bride of a tengu
Summary: Howl and Sophie were childhood friends, Howl has been accepted into the royal academy of magic while Sophie was planning to be a flouriest. the day before howl leaves he makes a promise to come back for Sophe while she promised to wait for him in their forest. but the night after howl leaves Sophies family is struck with tragidy. will they be able to reunite? ... R&R please
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1 **_

The sun shone over the beautiful woods at the foot of the wastes. trees rustled in the light breeze.

"Howl! get down I don't need that flower I just said it was pretty" I called to my black haired friend called Howl Jenkins. Howl was a beautiful boy with sky blue eyes and was almost at the point of studying at the Royal Academy of magic under the famous sorceress Madame Suliman.

"but you need this flower for your birthday present!" Howl's said through the flowers that were held by the stems in his mouth, one of which was a red rose with thorns which were nearly close enough to cut his mouth.

He was determined to get that last flower from a tree and once he got it in his grasp he slid down the tree and walked to stand in front of me.

"Larkspur means you have a beautiful spirit, purple tulip means your royalty" Howl began explaining the meanings of the flower.

"I'm not royalty!" I laughed with a blush on my cheeks.

"you are in my eyes, my lady" he bowed and kissed my hand while smiling, " sunflower means adoration it shows I adore you, white rose means your pure, red rose means your passionate about love or passionately in love, both means unity, Orchid means you have delicate beauty, Lilac means you are someone's first love and the black eyed Susan means I encourage you" he held the colourful bouquet out to me.

"it's beautiful" I took them, my cheeks red and mouth in a smile.

Me and Howl are both ten years old and have known each other since we were five. we are close and we promised to stay close.

"Sophie?" Howl asked. we were both laying on the grass watching the clouds, I had my bouquet in my hands and Howl had his hands folded on top of his stomach.

"yes Howl?" I replied as my entire body relaxed in the breeze.

"promise me when I go to the academy that you'll stay here and wait for me" he said sitting up and looking at me.

"only if you promise to come back as fast as you can once you finish studying" I sat up too to look at him.

"I promise" He smiled, stood and looked around us.

"what is it?" I asked as I stood up too in alarm.

"someone's coming" He said and grabbed my wrist tightly as if he was afraid of something.

"Sophie! Father says its supper time" came the voice of my older brother, Vincent.

"coming!" I yelled back then I turned to Howl, "remember your promise when you leave tomorrow" I said to him, kissed him on his cheek and ran towards my house where I knew my older brother was waiting for me outside the tree line.

"I will" Howl said to himself once he was alone, his heart started aching and his stomach started churning. He knew what this meant. He knew that he'd have to stud hard and fast to get back fast.

"Howl's left today hasn't he?" asked my mother, Lily as she brushed through my hair the next morning.

"yeah he has mother" I replied looking out the window with a sigh.

"He'll be back in no time Sophie" my mother smiled and put the hairbrush down on the table.

"true, till then I've got to work hard and become the best flouriest ever!" I smiled and hugged my mother.

That night screams came ringing through the house. My mother came running in my room and shut and locked the door.

"mother what's going on? where's father?" I asked jumping out of bed and running towards her as she met me halfway and took me to the window.

"never mind that for now, Sophie listen to me" she said as she opened the window and got the emergency rope tying it to one of the beams supporting the house and throwing it out of the window. "me and your father love you so very much, climb down the rope and hide in the bushes at the tree line until people from the city come, go now go!" she helped me onto the window sill and watched me start climbing down the rope. "be safe, my little angel" she smiled as I got to the bottom and ran to the bushes like I was instructed.

from the outside I saw the destruction of my life. my father's body on the floor by the front door, my house on fire my mother being attacked at my bedroom window by a dark figure.

the house burned until morning when a group of people were walking towards the house, I recognized one of the people, it was my aunt Fanny Hatter was one of the people.

"Aunt Fanny!" I yelled running towards the group of people as I got closer I saw the tears running down her cheeks.

"Sophie! your alive I'm so glad" she cried as she dropped to her knees and hugged me, "don't worry I'll look after you from now on, you'll come live with me in the city."

"no, I want to stay here and wait for Howl!" I suddenly protested tears starting to leak from my eye.

"you can't, it's not safe" Aunt Fanny said, "Sophie?..." then there was darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Eight years later Howl walked through the forest which Sophie and he called their own, his castle rested on his side so he could walk to the Sophie's house. He walked through the clearing we often watched the sky in thinking of what type of lady Sophie grew up to be.

He got to the tree line by Sophie's house and stopped, breathing deeply and his whole body beginning to shake.

It was ruins from a fire a grave with three memorial stones at the front with fresh flowers on the grave. He walked over to examine the graves closer to find out who's grave they belong to.

_**In memory of **_

_**Lily Hatter**_

_**Jonathan Hatter**_

_**Suzanne Hatter**_

_**A loving family whose lives were cruelly taken away**_

_**we will always have you in my memories**_

_does this mean she's still alive? _Howl thought to himself as he stood there to pay his respects to Sophie's family.

"your Howl? am I right?" asked an elderly woman who came up behind him, she was holding a bouquet of white carnations, the carnations mean remembrance.

"yes, your Mrs. Redden?" He replied turning to the woman.

"yes, I'm glad you remembered" she said as she walked and placing her flowers on the grave.

"what happened to the Hatter family?" Howl asked keeping his eyes on her.

"they were attacked, we think by a witch but we're not sure it was the night after you left, poor Sophie, She was rescued by her mother who got her to climb down from her room and hide, in the process seeing her father's dead body by the front door, seeing her mother fighting back and being defeated at her bedroom window and sat in the bushes by the tree line watching the house burn until we all came to see what the commotion was about, then she collapsed from shock and exhaustion in her aunt's arms" she explained to Howl while looking at the house. "Sophie now lives with her aunt in the city , Vincent travels not even saying a word about where he is to her and she works in her aunt's hat shop."

"thank you, I will take my leave" He replied and turned back to the woods. Walking back to the castle Howl made his decision, he will not give up his search for Sophie.

"Calcifer, move the castle sixty miles to the west" Howl told his fire demon friend.

I sat on my stool staring out the window, hat and needle in my hands. I had heard the news of a wizard called Howl who stole girls hearts but I didn't know whether or not it was my Howl and if it was why hadn't he come to find me? has he forgotten about me?

"Sophie, are you coming out with us today?" asked Alexia, one of the senior members of staff at our hat shop.

"no, I'll do all the deliveries you all go have fun" I replied smiling and continued sewing accessories on the hat I was working on.

"ok, maybe next time then" Alexia said and then everyone left, leaving me on my own in my house. I finished up on the hat I was sewing, walking into the front of the shop and looked into the mirror. "my hairs messed up again" I said to myself as I took my chocolate brown hair out of its pony tail and braided it,

By the time it was three pm I had done all the deliveries except one to my cousin Lettie at her bakery. By this time of day the streets were filled with people and soldiers with tanks and other vehicles due to the impending war that about to start between this country and our neighbouring country.

I took the back streets to find my way to my cousins bakery with her new hat. Along the way I could hear the festivities on the streets and I could hear voices and singing from ahead. It was a group of drunkards.

"Hey cutie how about we go have some fun?" the brown haired drunk said, his friends following behind him, coming towards me.

"no thank you, excuse me" I said, my voice going cold and my whole body tensing. I tried to walk past them but the blond haired drunk blocked my route.

"come on, we are decent civilians" he said, his breath reeking of alcohol.

"leave me alone" I snapped and started to try shove past them. The blond drunk pushed me back, my feet tripping over on another I begun to fall.

Suddenly a hand stopped me from falling back and a tall blond man who seemed oddly familiar was the owner of that hand.

"Sorry, I'm late in catching up to you sweetheart" he said, his voice deep and smooth.

"who are you asshole?" the brown haired drunk said cracking his left knuckle.

"I think it's time you leave" he said. as he spoke the drunks bodies stiffened and they stiffly walked off.

"thank you for helping me" I said turning to the stranger. His eyes were the same colour as Howl's.

"it's fine, where are you headed? I'll escort you there" he smiled gently at me. He has the face and the eyes but not the hair.

"just to the bakery it's fine" I said quickly, "are you Howl?"

"yes, my name is Howl and you are?" He replied.

"My name is Sophie. are you the Howl that steals girls hearts and eats them?" I asked taking a step back.

"Sophie who? and girls fall in love with me a gives me their hearts I do not eat them but not take them either" he replied looking at me with a glint in his eye.

"Sophie Hatter. sorry I must get going excuse me" I ran as fast as I could down the alley. He seemed like my Howl but something wasn't right. The last thing I heard him say was 'Wait!' as I ran, he didn't seem to chase after me.

"thank you for the hat cousin and on such short notice" Lettie smiled as we stood in the storage room in her bakery.

"it's fine, I agreed to do it by today didn't I?" I grinned back.

"Lettie, the chocolate éclairs are done" one of the other bakers said through the door.

"thank you I'll be there in a minute" Lettie called back. "Listen, Sophie you should save your money and open your flouriest like you've always dreamed" she said to me as we left the bakery via the back door.

"no, it's fine I promised Auntie that I'd help with the shop, bye Lettie" I smiled and began my journey home.

Howl stood on the roof of the bakery watch Sophie from afar as she started walking away from the building.

_I must follow her and find out where she lives and make her remember me _He thought and began walking through the air following Sophie.

I arrived back at the shop just after nightfall so the streets were empty and I was fortunate not to run into any drunkards again.

"what a day" I sighed as I closed and locked the front door to the shop after I'd entered.

I walked over to the counter and placed my hat by the cash register.

Suddenly the bell rang on the front door of the shop rang.

_I swear I locked that door _I thought as I turned to see a tall woman in a black dress and black hat.

"excuse me, who are you?" I asked, not wanting to be too impolite by telling her to leave the store without asking who she is.

"Me, I'm the witch of the waste" She said causally with a hint of offence because she thought of herself as famous enough for everyone to know her face.

"the witch of the waste!" I gasped and backed away slowly towards the back door.

The witch of the waste began chanting an incantation as the room began to fade into darkness except me and her.

"what are you..." I started to ask but my voice left my throat as I began to notice what she was doing. She was casting a spell on me, I didn't know what this spell is going to do to me and there was no way out.

My memories came flooding through my head going backwards from events today to my earliest memory. Then nothing darkness.

Howl was walking through the streets towards his closest Alias in the neighbouring city to where Sophie lives.

"I'll go see her with the flowers from her birthday bouquet from eight years ago, then she'll remember..." He was saying to himself. He was full of joy and excitement from seeing Sophie earlier that day that when he saw her laying on the floor outside his house, horror slivering all around his body.

"Sophie! Wake up! Sophie!" Howl said as he lifted her off the ground. "got to get her inside" He then said to himself and ran the last few minutes to the portal to his castle.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

I eased my eyes open slowly as a spider was crawling in its web on the ceiling above.

"where am I?" I asked myself as I sat up on the sofa I was laying on. I looked around my surroundings, the room was the filthiest room I'd ever seen. Spider webs hanging all over the ceilings, bugs all around the corners hiding in the empty wrappers and papers, books piled on top of each other on the table and sideboards likewise, food was piled on top of each other on some of the side boards opposite the biggest pile of dirt plates, cups and cutlery. The only light in the room was coming from a fire in the hearth that's surrounded by ashes and looked like he was about to be extinguished by the ashes and lack of wood.

I stood up and walked over to the Hearth, looking closer at the space around the hearth I found a pile of logs. I picked up two logs and placed them on the fire.

"this place is a mess" I said to myself again as I spotted cleaning equipment in the corner covered in dust and spider webs. "guess I'll clean up in here, wherever here is" I started cleaning the room I was in, throwing any rubbish out to what appeared to be the wastes.

Howl walked down the stairs in the morning to check on Sophie and stopped in his tracks as he took in the sight before him. The room was spotless and clean. all the books and food were put in proper places, the washing was done, even Calcifer's hearth was cleaned of the old ashes.

He looked at the sofa and saw Sophie was half on the sofa, half on the floor, sleeping.

"you silly girl, you never change" He said as he walked over to Sophie, lifted her and sat on the sofa with her laying in his lap.

"she was cleaning for around two hours, she's a fast cleaner for the amount of mess that was in here" Calcifer said emerging from the logs.

"she always has been" Howl smiled down at me with love and kindness in his eyes as Sophie began to open her eyes.

"who are you? and where am I?" I asked as I got out of the man's lap, a blush rushing up my neck to my cheeks.

"don't you remember me? or what happened to you?" he asked moving to the side of the sofa and pulling me to sit next to him.

"no, all I can remember is that my name is Sophie Hatter" I replied looking down as I tried hard to remember.

"my name is Howl, we are childhood friends that haven't seen each other in eight years, something must have happened for your memories to disappear, check your pockets" Howl sighed with sadness. I put my hands in my pockets and pulled out a piece of red paper from my left pocket.

Howl took it from my hand and opened it. A holographic woman appeared from the paper.

"Howl I trust you got my present, this woman is a childhood friend of yours isn't she? so you would be willing to do anything to get her memories back. give me your heart and I'll return her memories, good bye" she said and the hologram vanished.

"I guess I have no choice" Howl said gripping the paper in his hand and crumpling it into a small ball.

"no, don't give someone your heart when you don't love them, not even for a childhood friends sake" I said to him taking the paper ball from his hand, his other hand grabbed my hand and held it gently as if I was a fragile flower. "I'm sure I'll remember everything after a while if not we can build new memories, right?" I smiled at him. _for some reason I'm finding being in Howl's presence is very calming maybe I can live without my memories _I thought, _when I try to remember my memories I feel as if everything will disappear if that seal is unleashed._

He stared at me a minute amazement in his eyes, "right" He smiled back as he pulled me into a hug.

"master Howl is that your new girlfriend?" asked a young boy who came downstairs without us knowing.

"not exactly" He blushed as he pulled away from me, "she's my childhood friend, the witch of the waste got to her and wiped her memories."

"oh, so she's going to stay with us?" he asked, a smile was spread across his face.

"yeah, if she wants to" he looked back at me, hope filled his eyes.

"if it's ok with you, I like it here and in return I'll cook and clean for you" I smiled .

"then that's sorted shall we sort out breakfast" Howl smiled happily.

"um, I'll do that" I said and ran over to the food section of the room, grabbing a basket that has eggs in and a plate of bacon in it , grabbed a frying pan and a wooden spoon. "where should I cook this?" I asked noticing there was no cooker.

"the fire will cook it, right Calcifer?" chuckled Howl as he and the boy sat at the table.

"whatever you say Howl" the fire spoke.

"the fire speaks?" I gasped as I placed the basket on the chair placed in front of the hearth.

"he's a fire demon called Calcifer" the boy said, "I'm Markel, nice to meet you...".

"Sophie. Sophie Hatter" I smiled as I placed the frying pan on Calcifer and started cooking the bacon and eggs while Markel set the table.

After breakfast Howl went out through the magic front door of the castle, while Markel and I started cleaning out the upper floor of the castle.

It was much more dirty than the downstairs, I left the bathroom and Howl's room to Markel and I told him that if he does well I'll make him a new disguise to use for practicing magic.

An hour later we finished the rooms having only the laundry left to do. I asked Markel to double check everywhere was cleaned while I did the Laundry and went outside to the wastes to hang them to dry.

"Everywhere is cleaned Sophie and I also brought down clean bedding for you to use" Markel said once I walked back in with the laundry.

"thank you Markel" I said as I put the laundry basket on the table. "how about we go grocery shopping?"

"sure" Markel smiled as we set off through the Jenkins portal towards the market at the pier.

I picked out some potatoes, fish, carrots, eggs, bacon, a hack of beef, a whole chicken and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

We walked towards the path home when I spotted a familiar person standing in the crowd.

_"Sophie, cheer up you have me here" said Leon as he started doing circus tricks to make me laugh. Leon was a sweet boy who went to the same school as me after I was brought to the city and was also my neighbour, we became good friends, but one day he went missing. No one ever saw him again._

"Sophie!?" Markel panicked as I fell to one knee, "what's the matter Sophie?"

"nothing, let's get home fast" I said through clenched teeth as I forced myself to grab my basket and start running towards the castle's alias.

We got into the house, both of us taking deep breaths as footsteps echoed from near Calcifer.

"why are you two out of breath?" asked Howl from his place by the hearth as Markel too both baskets up the steps to the kitchen and I remained by the front door on my knees.

"Something's wrong with Sophie" Markel said as Howl and him came down the steps to me.

"I'm fine just a headache I'm going to make my bed and go to sleep for awhile."

I did just that with Markel and Howl watching me the entire time.

What is happening to me?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_"Sophie, I guess this is good bye until I get back from the academy" Howl said to me handing me a familiar bouquet._

_"but I'll miss you Howl" I cry, tears streaming down my face as I took the bouquet._

_"listen, study hard till I get back and when I do we'll get married like we promised" Howl said wiping the tears away from my cheeks. I knew he didn't want to go but he had to._

_Later that evening was when the fire happened at my house, my family was killed and I hid not even trying to save them. Was It my fault? _

I woke to Howl's voice talking to Calcifer.

"Doe's Sophie know about our situation?" Calcifer asked Howl as Howl sat there with his face in his hands.

"no, she doesn't and there's no reason she should know" Howl replied standing up, "heat some water for my bath."

I realised that it was night time and I guessed Markel was in bed already.

"Calcifer, what do you mean by situation?" I asked coming out from behind the curtain that led to my bed.

"you heard that? well, I can't tell you there's a spell that only allows me to be able to talk to Howl about it" Calcifer said grabbing a log that I set near him for during the night and placed with the others inside him.

"I see" I said and grabbed one of the books off the bookshelf and began reading since there was nothing else to do and I didn't want to see that terrible image in my head that appeared when I was asleep.

The next morning I asked Markel if he'd want to accompany me to get some fresh bread.

When we returned there was a semi explosion from the upper level of the house and a deep scream and crying from Howl as he ran down the stairs. With only a towel covering up his lower area he rushes to me, anger in his eyes.

"Why did you mess with the stuff in the bathroom!?" He yelled at me. His hair was the colour of a carrot.

"I thought it could be cleaned up a little and I thought you had a bath last night, why are you in there this morning?" I flinched at his closeness.

"you should've left it alone! now I'm repulsive" Howl then fell into the wooden chair that's always in front of Calcifer's hearth. He clenched handfuls of his hair in his hands as he stared at the floor, "there's no use living if I can't be beautiful" He said as he started calling 'the shadows of darkness' as Markel calls them.

His hair turned jet black which suited him a lot more than the blonde did.

"You think just because your hair is a different colour you think your life's over, I watched my family being murdered and I couldn't do anything to help them, so stop being such a big baby!" I yelled as a bright light came out from deep within my soul making the shadows of darkness vanish and got Howl to look up at me in surprise.

"you remember your family's death?" He asked in a quiet voice as the light vanished.

I didn't answer him, instead I turned and walked out of door to the wastes, where it rained heavily.

I felt the rain mixed with tears on my face. I stared at the scenery around me, lucky that I had my hat on that I'd made in my spare time.

I saw a big stick moving in the bushes to my left and decided to release it from the bushes incase an animal is trapped with the stick.

A scarecrow was trapped in the bush but I didn't understand how it was moving until it stood up on its own and started jumping.

"umm, we'll have to think of a name for you, how about turnip head" I smiled through my tears.

He started bouncing so I assumed it was in agreement to the name.

Suddenly a cloud of darkness hit my head, covering my vision completely. The wind leaving my lungs, I was unable to call for help before I passed out completely.

I felt a strong pain in my head and the darkness was still surrounding me but this time I could see a person standing a few steps away from me. I then realised I was floating in the darkness like the whole world was made of this darkness.

Howl awoke from his childish fit, he was in his room in bed. He didn't know how he got there, the last thing he remembered he was so angry because of his hair that he hurt Sophie's feelings.

"Markel where's Sophie?" He asked the boy who entered the room with a glass of warm milk.

"I don't know last time I saw her she ran out the front door to the wastes, I checked to see if she was ok but I couldn't find her, I'm worried Howl" Markel said looking down sadly.

Howls heart beat sped up and worry took over his body. He got up from bed and got dressed in the fastest time he ever did before and raced down the stair case towards the front door.

"Howl wait!" called Calcifer making Howl stop in his tracks and turn back.

"what is it?" Howl asked walking back to the hearth.

"Don't go searching blindly for Sophie, wait for a sign or a clue to where she is" Calcifer said to him.

"but waiting for any sign and clue will drive me crazy, she could be hurt for all we know!" Howl yelled at the fire demon.

"true Howl but there is only one clue and that's Markel he didn't tell you what he saw, did he?" Calcifer said keeping his calm.

"Markel!" Howl screamed causing light tapping from the boys feet come racing down the stairs getting heavier and louder by the time he got to Howl.

"Howl, I didn't get a chance to tell you I saw a dark fog grab her and then she vanished, I'm sorry" Markel said almost starting to cry.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My head pounded and my eyes stung as I opened them once again to the world of darkness around me.

"Where am i?" i groaned standing up slowly and looking around. I slowly started remembering the events on the past, standing outside in the rain after the whole bathroom cleaning.

"My dear Sophie, i have finally found you" came a gentle voice from within the darkness.

"who's there?" i called out as i stood up in the darkness. I looked around frantically for an escape as footsteps echoed from somewhere in this black hole, even though there wasn't any floor.

after a minute of footsteps the man from the market appeared in front of me.

"you, you're from my past" i said to him taking a step away from him.

"yes, i am" he chuckled, "i've always been watching you Sophie, ever since the death of your parents."

As those words escaped his mouth my chest tightened as if i was afraid of something.

"what do you mean? i don't remember you and i don't remember any death" i said to him through clenched teeth as i tried remembering.

"Sophie!" came Howl's voice from somewhere in the darkness.

"he doesn't give up, what a bother" the man sighed raising a hand and freezing Howl in place as Howl came into view, "you can watch too wizard."

"who are you?" i asked him again, gaining more courage because of Howl's presence.

"me? my names Leon" Leon smiled and bowed to me, "now i'll show you the point of which your life changed dramatically."

Suddenly, the darkness showed us a house near the woods in the country side, it looked familiar.

"don't make Sophie re-live this!" Howl yelled from where he was.

we watched my parents last day in this world, a young Howl giving me a bouquet then leaving for the wizard academy, his promise to return for me once he's a wizard, the screaming of my parents, the flames.

It all came rushing back to me and hit me like a punch in the stomach.

"why are you showing me this? why have you been watching me?" i asked him making him pause the scene around us.

"because of this" he smirked pulling a scroll out of his pocket, un rolling it. He cleared his throat and began reading, "I, Lily Hatter, write this contract for the protection and the well being of my daughter Sophie Hatter. This contract is valid only when i pass on from this world. Leon Joseph Ravenbourge Is the one to carry out my final wish... you see Sophie you belong to me now."

_**Silent Bride Of A Tengu: sorry for not updating in a while, I have recently moved house and only just got time to type this quick chapter and i finally have internet now. be prepared for more chapters coming soon since it is half term for my college now.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

We stood silently in the darkness, each of s thinking our own thoughts of what has happened.

"so, since my mother has signed a contract i have to go with you!?" i snap breaking the silence. The sound of my voice echoed throughout the dark void we were in.

"yes, believe me i will look after you" he smiled gently, holding his hand out to me.

I looked at Howl, fear crawling up my spine. "Howl? what do i do?" i ask him.

His mouth was pressed into a thin line as he looked over the contract, his eye intense on the paper.

"Howl?" i said again taking a step closer to him, this time he looked up at me fear in his eye mixed with guilt and sadness.

"i am sorry Sophie, you have to go with him" Howl said handing the contract back to Leon.

"Howl, no" i said through the lump in my throat as tears began pouring down my face, "you said we'd create new memories together!"

"Sophie..." then he was gone smothered by the darkness i couldn't see him anymore.

"now Sophie if you'd just come with me.." Leon smiled grabbing my arm and starting to pull me away.

"Howl! if you can hear me I'll be back, I promise!" I called into the darkness with a small flare of hope that it would reach him.

"he can't hear you" Leon said as he towed me along to the exit of the darkness.

Two years later the war had gotten worse, the children had to be evacuated to the countryside and men had to leave to serve in the war.

I walked through the busy streets of the capital, no one I recognised can recognise me back due to the change in my appearance, the consequences of the past two years. I walked past my aunt who must be here on a trip with either her new husband or for business, she walked straight past me.

"The great wizard Pendragon" I said to myself as I knocked on the door of the magic shop.

A young boy, easily guessed he was wearing a disguise opened the door.

"can I help you?" he asked in a fake voice.

"are you Markel?" I asked looking directly at him, since i had not seen or heard from Markel or Howl they might've changed Alias'.

"how do you know my real name?" Markel asked in his real voice as he took off his disguise.

"it's me, Sophie" I said to him with a little smile.

"Sophie?! Your back!" Markel hugged me as soon as he finally recognised me.

"how is everyone?" I asked as I followed Markel into the castle.

"Howl hasn't come out of his room since you were taken, he only comes out for a bath and for some food, I think he feels bad because he couldn't help you" Markel said looking down.

"I'll go up and see him" I said walking to the stairs.

The castle was back to its messy state it was before I came here. Especially Howl's room which was fully of kids toys and little trinkets and knick knacks.

"Howl?" I said softly approaching the person laying face down on the bed after I closed the door behind me.

There was no answer, so I called a few more times a little louder each time, there was still no answer.

I turned him onto his back and checked his pulse.

"it's weak, too weak" I said placing his hand back on the bed and started searching for the cause of Howl's state.

He had injuries from some sort of attack or accident, which were badly bandaged up and has been infected due to no disinfection when treated.

Over the past two years I was kept locked in Leon's mansion with no escape. I decided after the first week I decided to trick Leon into thinking I'd stay there with him forever if he'd teach me magic and let me n on his secrets that he hides away for.

One of the handy techniques I learned was healing, though the technique I know was dangerous to myself, it was for Howl, he was worth the risk.

I placed both my hands on his chest and summoned my spiritual power from deep inside me and began the long healing process.

"Sophie, Howl are you ok?" Markel asked entering the room, "Sophie what are you doing?!" Markel ran to my side.

"he's wounded, I'm healing him" I said not opening my eyes and not breaking my concentration, "go get some water he'll want some when he wakes up."

Howl opened his eyes fifteen minutes into the healing process.

"who are you?" Howl asked attempting to sit up but found himself stuck to the bed with some kind of spell.

"Howl, this is Sophie, she's come back!" Markel smiled happily.

"Sophie?" Howl asked looking at me.

I smiled at him still concentrating on the final part of the healing process.

"done" I said after finishing healing him.

He sat up and looked at me carefully, disbelief and hope mixed together.

"how did you escape Leon?" Howl asked, taking in my new look.

"made him believe I'd stay with him, got him to teach me a lot of things then escaped leaving him to ... the others" I said shrugging.

Markel yawned deeply, "Markel got to bed we'll see you in the morning" Howl smiled at him.

After Markel left Howl grabbed me and pulled me onto the bed, hugging me tightly.

"I thought I would never see you again, I don't care if you dont remember our promise, I'll remember it for both of us" Howl said holding me close.

"but I do remember, I remember everything now" I replied looking up at him.

Howl leaned his head down and placed his lips gently on mine, drowning me in the sweet taste of his lips.

The next morning we woke up cuddled up under the quilts on Howl's bed, my dress wrapped like a tornado around my legs and Howls shirt and trouser all creased. That was the best night's sleep that I'd had in a long time.


End file.
